1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a currency note feeding apparatus for a currency note handling machine, and more particularly to a currency note feeding apparatus for a currency note handling machine capable of stably feeding currency note by use of a single belt guiding upper and lower surfaces of the currency note, and driving upper and lower belts of the single belt by use of one motor to easily adjust a feed speed of the belt.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A currency note handling machine is referred to a machine for handling or carrying currency note, for example, an automatic teller machine (ATM) for depositing or dispensing the currency note at a cash corner.
The currency note handling machine generally includes a pickup roller for separating the paper sheet by sheet in a stacking space of currency note, and a feeding means, such as a belt or a feeding roller, for feeding a sheet of paper.
There are two types of currency note handling machine according to a feeding direction of the currency note: a horizontal currency note handling machine in which the currency note is fed in a horizontal direction (i.e., a short side) of the currency note; and a longitudinal currency note handling machine in which the currency note is fed in a longitudinal direction (i.e., a long side) of the currency note.
The horizontal currency note handling machine includes two or more rows of upper and lower belts at left and right sides relative to a center of the currency note to stably feed the currency note and thus prevent distortion of the currency note, since the currency note is fed in the horizontal direction. However, the belt utilized in the currency note handling machine is made in consideration of friction force between the currency note and the belt according to a kind of the currency note. The belt is significantly expensive relative to a common belt utilized in power transmission or conveyor. Nevertheless, since it has to use several expensive belts, the cost of currency note handling machine is increased.
In the case of the longitudinal currency note handling machine for a narrow width of currency note, the currency note can be stably fed by use of one row of single belt. If a width of the currency note is larger than a width of the belt, the longitudinal currency note handling machine has to utilize two or more rows of belts, as the horizontal currency note handling machine.
Also, the conventional horizontal/longitudinal currency note handling machines have the following disadvantages: first, two or more rows of belts have to be employed; second, since the belt is forcibly contacted with upper and lower surfaces of the currency note, an upper belt and a lower belt have to be provided; finally, since the upper and lower belts are driven by a drive motor, respectively, it is difficult to control the feeding speed of the currency note by controlling each drive motor.